


the hyacinth dawn

by MiniNephthys



Category: Shin Megami Tensei II
Genre: Implied Relationships, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-27
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-07-10 13:52:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6987628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MiniNephthys/pseuds/MiniNephthys
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aleph, children, curses, and Lucifer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	the hyacinth dawn

Aleph loves children. It’s a trait of his Lucifer did not learn about until after God’s defeat.

Aleph adores kids. He likes playing with them, and although he has to go easy on them in every remotely physical activity, he doesn’t mind. When it comes to other games, they usually beat him, and Lucifer can never tell if he’s losing on purpose or if Aleph is just that bad at Red Light Green Light. The kids can’t seem to tell either, which is probably the point.

Aleph loves to hear about what they did that day. Even if it’s a child he’s never met before and the most interesting activity they have to report is that they snuck extra candy out of the candy bowl while the adults weren’t looking, Aleph will congratulate them on their fine sneaking skills before asking them to maybe not do that next time.

Aleph is perhaps not the best role model, for a Messiah. He tries.

Aleph spends much of his time that isn’t occupied by other duties or spent with Lucifer with children, usually at orphanages. There are plenty of children without parents, or whose parents no longer recognize them and are willing to care for them. The Center punished rulebreakers without mercy in regards to age.

Aleph visits as often as is feasible. He learns their names, their ages, what they like to do, their favorite foods. He treats them like people, and they love him back for it.

To Lucifer’s knowledge, there has never yet been a time when something has gone seriously wrong for Aleph and Lucifer hasn’t been able to tell immediately: he has an honest face and does not easily hide the tension in his shoulders. So when Aleph comes to him radiating worry, Lucifer’s first question is, “What happened?”

“One of the children at the orphanage called me ‘Dad’ today,” Aleph says, eyes cast to the floor.

Lucifer knows Aleph loves children, but he also knows that Aleph can never have children of his own without passing the curse God placed on him down to them, and he knows better than anyone else that Aleph is too kind to bring that kind of ruin down upon another person, much less his own flesh and blood.

“Your curse would most likely only apply to blood descendants,” Lucifer says. “Adoptive children should be safe.”

“But you’re not a hundred percent sure either,” Aleph says, and when Lucifer shakes his head, goes on: “I can’t take that chance, even if it’s tiny. I can’t give someone this curse. Definitely not to a child who’s already gone through enough.”

“That child will be adopted quickly enough,” Lucifer says, putting a reassuring hand on Aleph’s shoulder. “It was only a momentary slip of the tongue: it means nothing and will soon be forgotten.”

“Promise?” Aleph asks, looking up at him.

“I promise.”

The smile Aleph gives Lucifer as his tension finally melts away is positively radiant. “Thank you. I worry too much, I guess.”

“You do,” Lucifer says. “But that’s simply another reason why you’re my favorite.”


End file.
